Adrian de St Paul

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• It's been a long time.. but we have been very busy

  My last post was quite some time ago... but then we have been doing real life 3D renovation.. and decoration

  Making a 21st Century home inside a very early Medieval Chateau.. plus a B&B wing..and a separate tower..

  We are making the finishing touches..seems to take an age.

   

  So.. a few pictures.. I really need to stage some photos.. basically tidy up before getting the camera out..

  The weather here is lovely.. so anyone needing somewhere to escape to..where you can (if you wish) talk Deco,

  Which could mean complaining about how long it takes to do things..believe me..we know what you're talking

  about.

  A de St Paul

   

  

  Posted 20th August
  Comments 0
• Before the walls come down......

  Before the walls come down.....

  Some pictures... been a hard day.. so not saying too much..

  Got other things to plan too..no comment on the wallpaper.. cupboard on left was old coridor.. will be making a come back.

  Walls on left.. not origional will be going too..the pillar(an old room divider support) will be going.. some carpentry to do above.

  The window behind is going to be converted into a french window..onto a terrace..as is already the case the other side.the rebate behind the scary sofa is going to re-become the corridor.. anyone wondering where the furniture pictured is now... tis gone..

  bits of the wallpaper could be sent through the post..

  A deSP

  Posted 26th February 2010
  Comments 0
• Planting before it's too late...spring is coming..

  Spring must be coming because we've seen and heard the geese flying north.. hundreds in great vee's... and the crocus have started to flower..

  We've a big planting program..mostly trees..oak..beech and maple to name a few. So been carrying on with that...creating walks and alleyways...and a plan to plant 16km of hedge.

  Started looking at knocking some interior walls down too..none of them structural..and planing some changes to the old defensive terraces..

  We're having meetings about heating..geo-thermal..or what..tomorrow..and looking at how best to insulate the buildings..

  We've got plans coming back with regard to drainage and so forth..as that all needs to be done at the same time as the landscaping.. and can we fit in a nine hole pitch and put golf course.. well the longest fairway could be about 400 yards..

  Ewes lambing...and a new puppy too..Elfie..

  Posted 25th February 2010
  Comments 0
• And the Chapel roof has moved..

  And the Chapel roof has moved....

  Up.. how on earth does a roof move up?

  Anyway so the Chapels looking a bit more sick.. but we were going to do some work.. which is now more.. couldn't stand the curced plasterboard ceiling anyway..

  

  The damage doesn't appear to have gone any further..the roof merely lifted..and then came down again.. but the ceiling has move up a good 5" around the sides, hence the rubble on the floor.

  It doesn't house as many wild animals as the main house.. so we won't have to worry on that score.

  I have a plan...and though it'll remain a chapel, it will be a litlte more multi use and less clostrophobic ...gallery, recitals, theatre and so on including of course weddings and events..

  A de SP

  Posted 23rd February 2010
  Comments 0
• St Pauls.. the roofs leaking.

  But then that's not the only problem..I think the ceilings had it...and the floor, well the fire place has been out of use for a while..as it's difficult to reach.It's hanging on in need of a floor.. infact it will one day be a bedroom..and the area below will be the en-suite with a dressing room off to the left.

  In a previous life it was a defensive tower.. with at least three more storeys.. then it was modified with windows.. only at the base do the arrow slots remain..with some bricked up further up..

  Unfortunately it lost two floors and a bell shaped roof in 1920.. when being repaired..it started to fall down so they could only save the lower two floors.

  It is at present the home of a Barn Owl..and various bats.. to name but a few of the residents..I must go..I've animals to feed.. and plans..

   

  A de SP

  Posted 23rd February 2010
  Comments 0
• St Pauls.. the roofs leaking.

  as is evidenced by the state of the ceiling..the stairs are also long gone.. but then the floor is another thing alltogether..at least that's one less thing to worry about..

  I must  go do some work..get outside and come up with a plan of attack.. and ask some of the other residents if they'd mind moving out..soon..ish.

  There is more to look at.. and photograph..that is in a pretty poor state since a mini storm took it's toll..

   

  A de SP

   

  Posted 22nd February 2010
  Comments 0
• Well..back again..and been very busy..

  Hi fellow renovators.

  I'm back in France where things are going as fast as we can manage...money/the building/arceology(ist's)/the animals/the landscaping and planting.. but St Paul is slowly moving into the 21st century..

  It had languished pretty much in the 18th Century.. with minor alterations/additions. Electricity,water..and so on.

  But it has remained a stoicly medieval defensive set of buildings..being first writen about in 1120...but with firm evidence of occupation since at least the 6th century..and hence absolutely freezing in the winter..Loved by us and many other animals..

  

  At the same time I've been trying to update the house in Greenwich.. with ton's of help..see my photos.. one before with the room divided, the second the way it should have been..

  Meadows & Co..Meadows Interiors.. It still needs detail finishing, but they sent me the pic's to show it's coming along

  So I'm going to try to give you a run down of some of our recent changes over the next few weeks..

  Plenty there..with towers.. basements.. kitchens.. bathrooms.. stairs..doors..windows..furniture..paintings.. and the church..

  If I bore you..let me know..

  A de SP

  Posted 21st February 2010
  Comments 0
• Missing in action.. back and un-bowed..

  Missing in action..

  I've been quite simply overtaken by events recently.. and I'm struggling to keep up..

  But needless to say some things I wanted to plan (London art show)were taken over by the need to work with archeologists at the place in France.. Bits of the buildings are only 6th Century.. so 1500 years of inhabitation and climbing.. Oh and a wedding..my own..

  The archeologists are looking for the missing roman villa... I didn't have the heart to tell them that someone flew over and then came round to tell us that the layout of the buildings resembles a...

  Anyway... wheres Time Team when you need them?

  With the temple/church next to the house and its attached cemetery the heavy digging equipment turned the area around into something resembling the Somme and Napoleons last stand.. Bits of long dead inhabitants sticking out from everywhere.

  Mind you they weren't that fussy in the past.. walls and beaten earth floors in the house also contain human remains.. Helps us feel that our ancestors are looking over and under us..

  Even so made a big change this last week at the Hall in London..

  Now its begining to look like it should have when it was first renovated.. Pictures to follow..

  Where is that camera?

  A de SP

   

  Posted 18th October 2009
  Comment 1
• a long and withering knowledge of hotel interior..

  It is quite possible to travel too much...and stay in too many hotels.

  As nice as they are, and as lucky as I am, I miss stopping...mostly at home.

  I've a long, intimate and withering knowledge of hotel interior design....

  No girls.. no dogs.. I've even managed to miss the appearance of my babys first tooth..which interior design can't fix..

  In LA.. with a view of the Queen Mary from the hotel.. the picture is of baby..toothless..

  preferable to Queen Mary..

   

  Posted 31st May 2009
  Comment 1
• Any Artists......well all of you..then..

  And with the year passing by so quickly...

  Opening a B&B and a House Hotel in London....plus our first Art show in France.. I want to get some things done before we run out of months with sun in them.

  I'm going to try to put on an exhibition weekend in London..Greenwich to be more precise..

  I've a collection of what I loosely term chinesse revolutionary art... but we've quite a space to fill... room for installations.. and a fifty inch screen (lcd) for computer or DVD based art...could do a continuos roll of the best interiors..

  Any interested parties.. that wish to go public with their work.. get in touch.. even moodboard maddness..

  we only need to supply the wine and nuts....and friends.. the space is on me..any donations excepted....

  we're accesible by boat (thames clipper) train, and tube/DLR...

  Get in touch..

  The pictures are of the space.....the roof terrace is suitable for sculpture..

  Posted 24th May 2009
  Comments 0